1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a power supply apparatus for a sliding structure, which is mounted on the sliding structure such as a sliding door of a vehicle and supplies power continuously to an auxiliary device at the sliding structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 17, 18 show one embodiment of a usual power supply apparatus for a sliding door (refer to Patent Document 1).
The power supply apparatus 61 for the sliding door includes a long sideways guide member 63 mounted on a sliding door 62 of a car, a slider 64 engaging slidably with a rail portion of the guide member 63, a swing member 65 (FIG. 18) supported pivotably in a horizontal plane by a shaft vertical to the slider 64 and a caterpillar-like harness cover 66, which is bent into U-shape inside the guide member 63, being wired bendably from the swing member 65 to a car body (not shown).
The cover 66 is covered about an area between the sliding door 62 and the car body with a tube 67. A plurality of electric wires 68 (wiring harness) is passed through the cover 66 and the slider 64.
By opening the sliding door 62 from a condition in FIG. 17 in a direction of an arrow A, the slider 64 moves forwardly along the guide member 63, and the wiring harness 68 extends to become J-shape in the guide member 63 together with the cover 66. According to opening/closing the sliding door 62, the wiring harness 68 extends and shrinks together with the cover 66, so that an extra length of the wiring harness is absorbed. Patent Document 1 is the Japan Published Patent Application No. 2003-25850.